Four Policemen arrested for extortion

From left to right: Inspector Joseph Karikari, L.Cpl Daniel Yemoh, L.Cpl Goerge Rockson and Sgt. Anthony Nyarko Four officials of the Accra Central Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service were Wednesday arrested on the orders of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) for allegedly extorting money from motorists around the Achimota Overhead Bridge. An amount of GH¢196 was retrieved from them when they were searched on the spot by the arresting team from the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards (PIPS) Bureau. Those arrested are Inspector Joseph Karikari, Sergeant Anthony Nyarko and Lance Corporals George Rockson and Daniel Yemoh. The Director-General of the PIPS, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Timothy Ashiley, told the Daily Graphic that an informer called the IGP, Mr Paul Tawiah Quaye, to inform him about the activities of the MTTU men at the Achimota Overheard. He said the IGP consequently called the PIPS to follow upon the information to check on its veracity. According to him, when the arresting team got to scene, it, indeed found the four MTTU men undertaking motor checks when they had been sent to undertake traffic management. ACP Ashiley said when the four policemen were arrested and searched about 12:40 p.m., GH¢107 was found on L/Cpl Rockson, while GH¢89.20 was found on L/Cpl Yemoh. He said the two senior men, Inspector Karikari and Sgt Nyarko; had taken positions elsewhere and supervising the junior ranks. He said the policemen could not account for the source of the money. When they were sent to the Police Headquarters, Sgt. Nyarko made an attempt to run away but was pursued and arrested. IGP means business IGP, Paul Quaye Mr Quaye said he wanted the message to be sent to others that he meant every word of his pledge to continue the image-cleansing exercise within the service. "It should serve as a wake-up call to others to sit up to do the work for which they were employed and not extort money from people," he added. On January 15, 2010 during the, end-of-year get-together of personnel of the MTTU in Accra, the IGP told them that the Police Administration had designated this year as an image-cleansing one but it appeared they took it for a joke. According to Mr Quaye, the actions of a few incorrigible individuals in the MTTU in particular were responsible for much of the castigation that the police had received from the public and the poor performance rating and placement of the service on the Corruption Index. He said the situation was very embarrassing, adding, "We cannot allow a few individuals to sink the image of the service." The IGP reminded them that it took just a single act to damage the corporate image of the service but it would take the collective action of all personnel to cleanse that tarnished image over a period of time. Source: Daily Graphic